LAUCASAIN'S PROFILE

Why not use a skill tree instead of the traditional str, dex, end...

Every time you kill something/complete a quest/over come a challenge or trap etc... you gain a skill point(s), then you use them to upgrade your skills. Some could be spells, others the character's ability with a weapon and so on.

Level zero in a skill means that you don't know how to use it, level 1 is only basic knowledge, level 2 grants better use of the skill...
And level 10(or more) would be complete mastery of the skill.

There are a few ways to modify this but you get the general idea.